03 Oct 2018

On 26 September 2018, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for Education Ms Indranee Rajah commissioned the Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN) fourth and fifth Littoral Mission Vessels (LMV) RSS Justice and RSS Indomitable as well as opened the LMV Simulation Centre RSS Daring.

The commissioning of RSS Justice and RSS Indomitable marks a significant milestone as the two LMVs join the RSN to safeguard Singapore's waters, protect its sea lines of communication and contribute to regional peace and security. DSTA is the overall programme manager and systems integrator for the LMV programme.

At the commissioning ceremony at Tuas Naval Base, Ms Indranee said: “The LMVs only require about 80 per cent of the manpower needed to operate current patrol vessels, a feature made possible through the harnessing of technologies and the streamlining of work processes as a result of vessel redesign.”

She added that the LMVs were also designed with user experiences in mind, which will “benefit the future operators of LMVs – the younger generation who have grown up in the digital age and will better appreciate smart designs”.

The LMVs are equipped with smarter technology and sharper capabilities to enable the RSN to operate more efficiently and effectively. It pushes the boundaries of engineering and design in delivering a faster, more capable and mission-configurable ship with better seakeeping and endurance that can be manned with a leaner crew compared to its precedent Fearless-class Patrol Vessels. Designed to be network-centric, the ships possess advanced radars and sensors, as well as a 360-degree out-the-window view and improved sensemaking systems to enhance situational awareness and accelerate decision-making.

In addition, the newly-opened LMV Simulation Centre RSS Daring will enable ship crew to train efficiently and effectively in realistic conditions. Jointly developed by the RSN and DSTA, the centre leverages technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality (VR) to integrate training on combat, navigational and technical skills, employing analytics to track and evaluate crew performance and synergy.

By emulating real-life operating environment and conditions of the LMV in a full mock-up of its Integrated Command Centre, the centre will provide realistic, high-fidelity training with greater efficiency by reducing training hours by up to 60 per cent. It can also generate an array of simulations such as harsh weather conditions, technical malfunctions and high traffic density and various maritime security scenarios to put command teams and crew through their paces.

Senior Programme Manager (National Engineering) Jason Khong, who was part of the team behind the LMV Simulation Centre, said that the project gave his team an “exciting opportunity to explore and implement the latest VR technology to optimise the training experience”.

He added: “I’m glad that we were able to deliver an efficient training system for the RSN’s latest cutting-edge vessel. It is rewarding to know that our work helps bring the proficiency of ship crews up to speed, and in turn, ensures the RSN’s readiness to safeguard our seas.”

Jason (fourth from the left, second row) together with Director (Modelling and Simulation) (National Engineering) Tan Chee Ping and Director National Engineering Wong Rong Fah, and team members behind the LMV Simulation Centre